Memorial Day 2008
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The CITA Security Committee/Team was first created in april 1993 to patrol Moccasin Bend to prevent looting/graverobbing. Committee chair James Brooks made a stainless-steel lock box, set into a poured-concrete base, painted black, for keeping the patrol log.
 NARF - the Native American Reserve Force of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department - was created in 1994 with the initial contact for CITA made by then-police-officer and CITA member Mark Norman (son of a former police captain), promoted by Sheriff's Chief Deputy Jim Hammond as part of a departmental diversity project to help his 1994 political campaign for sheriff. [Hammond lost to John Cupp (1994-2006), but Hammond was elected sheriff in 2008 after incumbent sheriff Billy Long resigned under indictment.]
Bob Welch, a US Army combat veteran, was the leader of NARF until his death in 1998.
"Native American Reserve Force (NARF) - Part-time deputies who are Native American." (there was no actual test of Native American Indian identity or ancestry, so NARF membership does not necessarily indicate such)
NARF was essentially closed down in 2005 after its main patrol area on Moccasin Bend was deeded over to the US National Park Service from the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County in 2003.
NARF members passed
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Bob Welch, CITA&NARF, d 3 april 1998, age 55, Chattanooga
James Brooks, CITA, d 14 Dec 2000, age 44, Chattanooga (suicided by cop 14 december 2000 at his home.)
Gary Williams, CITA&NARF d 27 december 2003, age 49, Soddy-Daisy
Stuart Aitken, NARF, d 22 Jun 2006
Brian Davis, CITA&NARF, d 31 december 2007, age 51, Cleveland
Weep not for me my love ones
For I am not gone.
I am in the Wind
The Red Tailed Hawk that flys above you
and protects and watches you-
when you are in the Sacred Indian Burial Grounds.
And when you feel the hair on the back of your neck stand up-
and you know someone is watching you-
It is only me-Star Gazer-
For if you have a pure heart
you have nothing to fear,
for I shall guard Moccasin Bend till the end of time!
So listen to my words,"dig not these Indian Burial Grounds
for my Spirit guards them-for I will there to take your Spirit
and be in your dreams till I come for you."
Guardian between the Spirit Land and this Place!
Star Gazer--Bob Welch-1998-January 16
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NARF-It is my wish and hope you make a plaque with these words
in gold on black with the Red Tail Hawk and a picture of me
to stay at NARF Headquarters or Sheriff Dept.
Bob Welch-Star Gazer
Native American Reserve Force
NARF members
- Bob Welch†
- Ben Taylor
- Melissa Dickinson
- Sondra Williams
- Gary Williams†
- Brian Davis†
- Billy Welch
- Paul Thennes
- Pam Triplett
- Bob Debord
- Mike Pool
- Joey Porter
- Steve Swilling
- Al Beale
- Stuart Aitken†
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